Transphobic bills in Texas, Florida and other states show fight for LGBTQ rights not over
Conservatives have been trying for years to silence and condemn transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming community. Now they are attacking the most vulnerable among us: our young people.
In states such as Texas and Idaho, transgender youths and their families are being targeted and denied access to gender-affirming care. By blocking these necessary and lifesaving resources, officials in these states are actively abusing young people and harming their development.
To raise awareness about these issues, communities have been rallying behind affected youths and their families by writing letters of support, calling on their legislators to vote against the bills and getting involved in legislative hearings by giving personal statements of opposition. It’s our duty to step up to combat anti-transgender laws, showing trans youths that they matter and are supported in their journey toward living as their authentic selves.
Why is this legislation so damaging? An estimated 85% of transgender or nonbinary youths say their mental health has been negatively affected by these legislative attacks, according to a recent poll done by the Trevor Project. In 2020, the Trevor Project found that more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth had seriously considered suicide. But those whose pronouns are respected are half as likely to attempt suicide as those who do not enjoy the same respect.
Knowing this, it’s clear that the authors of these bills either don’t care about trans kids or are culturally incompetent about their safety and well-being. Criminalizing care for trans kids will result in more depression, anxiety and self-harm.
Hearing that these states are actively trying to erase who we are and make it illegal for families or allies to support us is saddening, frustrating and exhausting, to say the least. When you’ve finally come to the point where you want to live your life as your true self, it can be incredibly disheartening and invalidating to be told that it’s considered abuse. The language that politicians and supporters of these bills have been using to talk about transgender people is extremely harmful to trans children.
On top of that, threatening to unnecessarily put trans youth in foster care as a form of “protection” is abhorrent. The effort and resources it would take to remove a child from a family that is already supportive of their gender-affirming care is another attack on trans youths and their support systems.
Acceptance and affirmation are thereby being twisted by lawmakers saying parents who accept their trans and nonbinary children are abusing them. When did kindness, respect, love and compassion become a crime?
The violent and appalling legislation that Texas, Florida and other states have been trying to pass is an obvious indication that the fight for transgender rights is not over.
Sacramento’s Gender Health Center has seen how transphobic policies affect our community, and we understand the importance of competent mental health care and therapists trained in trans-specific issues. To the trans youths who may be reading this: We see you, and you are valid. If you are struggling, please contact the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386 or the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.